Mining & Refining - The Aluminium Story

Biodiversity

Restoring pre-mining biodiversity requires areas to be protected from erosion and for the original topsoil to be managed to retain its value as a seed source and growing medium. | Learn more
Community Engagement

Mining companies recognise the value of local knowledge and that by encouraging empowerment and building relationships there can be long-term sustainable outcomes for all parties… | Learn more
Responsible Sourcing

A sustainable mining operation maintains the natural capital of the area in which it is located through sound environmental management systems. | Learn more
Water Management

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) collects data on fresh water use, consumption and water stress indicators to track the industry’s impact on water resources. | Learn more
Energy Efficiency

Globally, and despite declining ore quality, the alumina refining industry reduced the energy intensity of its operations by 9% between 2006 and 2010, while increasing production by 15%. | Learn more
Health & Wellbeing

A healthy community means healthy families, which means a more safe and motivated workforce; thus there is a direct link between community health and the productivity of a mining or refining operation. | Learn more
Mining Process

The aluminium-containing bauxite ores gibbsite, böhmite and diaspore are the basic raw material for primary aluminium production. | Learn more
Refining Process

The Bayer Process was invented and patented in 1887 by Austrian scientist Karl Josef Bayer. Two to three tonnes of bauxite are required to produce one tonne of alumina. | Learn more
Bauxite Residue Management

The industry is constantly working on new residue treatment methods to increase the removal of alkaline fluids and salts. | Learn more
Employment & Education

Bauxite miners are investing in to provide social and economic benefits to the communities in which they operate. | Learn more
Sustainable Development

At the heart of every bauxite mining and refining operation lie local communities, comprising the workforce and their families (often across multiple generations)… | Learn more
Mine Rehabilitation

Globally, bauxite mining disturbs a relatively small area of land compared to other types of open cast mining. Around one square metre of land is newly opened up each year… | Learn more

Mining and Refining

Where does primary aluminium come from?

It’s a three-step process: First, mining: a sedimentary rock called bauxite, which has a high aluminium content, is extracted from the ground. Second, refining: the bauxite is processed into aluminium oxide (known as alumina). Third, smelting: alumina is reduced by electrolysis to produce pure aluminium.

Bauxite was discovered in southern France in 1821. Now, over 200 years later, bauxite mining is concentrated in Guinea, Australia, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam and India, with several other countries making up the balance.

Increasingly sustainable bauxite mining is a key objective for the aluminium industry, and the challenges are unique to each mine and region.

From responsible sourcing to biodiversity, and from community engagement to energy efficiency, explore these pages to understand the Mining & Refining process and why sustainability and community are at its heart.